Internal-combustion engine.



B. KR'A'MER.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENG'NE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-25.1913.

1,171,855. Patented Feb. 1.1mm.

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vpitgzefsa Inventor:

Hisoflttornegg.

UNITED STATES PA BEBNHARD KRAMER, or cHAnLor'rENBURe, GERMANY, AssrononT0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION or NEW YORKINTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

I Application filed' November 25, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BERNHARD KRAMER, asubject of the Emperor of Germany, residing at Charlottenbur'g, Germany,have invented certain new and useful Improve ments inInternal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

In the manufacture of internal combustion engines it frequently happensthat the constructor is called upon to furnish engines for differentoutputs having different numbers of cylinders. This can readily be doneby keeping, in addition to a stock of cylinders, etc, a stock of mainshafts having different numbers of cranks. This, however, isobjectionable inmost instances on account of the expense. It has beenproposed to avoid this by making a relatively short shaft section havingtwo journals for each cylinder and assembling them with two endbearingsfor each section with a coupling located between eachtwoadjacent bearings. This arrangement, while practical in many instances,is objectionable for the reason that it increases the length of eachshaft section, the number of bearings, and because it makes it morediilicult to obtain the proper alinement of the parts. It also increasesthe total length of the engine and hence further increases the cost.

My invention has for its object to overcome the objections above notedby making the shaft sections in a peculiar manner, each with onejournal, so that when assembleda single bearing suflices for each shaftsection. For a consideration of what I believe to be novel and myinvention,-attention is directed to the accompanying description andclaims appended thereto.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a.

two-cylinder engine in vertical section made 1n accordance with my1nvent1on.

1 indicates the main frame of the engine,

which in the present case, also forms a re ceiver 2 for supplying pureair to the cylinders for the purpose of cleaning them of the exhaustgases between firing strokes and also for supplying the necessary air tosupport combustion.

3 and 4 indicate working cylinders of any suitable construction of whichas many may he provided as are necessary. In one end of the receiver isthe cylinder 5 of an air pump, and locatedtherein is a piston 6. I haveomitted the valve mechanism of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15,1916..-

Serial No. 802,914.

pump and working cylinders in the interest of clearness. and simplicity,but it is to be unde'rstoodythat such mechanism will be provided. Eachworking cylinder has a pair of pistons 3'* and 4 respectively that movetoward each other on the compression stroke and away from each other onthe firing stroke. Each upper or outer piston is provided with across-head 7 that is connected by side rods 8 with cranks on the mainshaft. Each lower or innerpiston is connected to a crank on the mainshaft by a connecting rod 9.

The main shaft is divided into sections,

each section corresponding to one cylinder uniting said shaft sectionwith the adjacent shaft section. The other end of the crank section isprovided with a disk or face plate, 15 that also forms a part of a"coupling aswell as a part of a crank. In other words, each crank shaftsection isprovided with three cranks and a single journal, the endportions of the outer crank and the journal forming coupling disks thatare complementary to similar disks on adjacent crank shaft sections.Each journal is supported by a bearing 16,'there being one bearing formaking the engineunduly long. The crank shaft section which drives thecompressor or fresh air pump is provided with a journal 17 having a disk18 on one side of the bear ing 19 and a disk 20 and crank pin 21 on theother side, said pin being united with the connecting rod 22. In such aconstruction thereceiver will, of course, be of the proper length andconstruction to receive all of the cylinders. The base of the enginesupporting the bearings etc'. has been omitted in the interest ofclearness, but it is understood that it may be of any suitable or wellknown construction.

, each crank section. In this manner I avoid It is evident in assemblingsuch an engine that for one reason or another the crank shaft sectionsand the cylinders may not properly aline, measured in an axialdirection. If such is the fact this may be compensated for by insertingone or more ciisks '23 of suitable thickness between adjacent disks.After beingproperly 'alinecl said disks are clamped together by bolts orother means ins-11y suitablemanner, It will he seen that for eachWorking cylinder and. e'achpnmp cylinder there is but one hearing. Inother Words, the engine in the present illustration has two Workingcylinriers and the immher of main hearings correspends thereto. ifanother cylinder is scldecl there will he eclcleci, of course, enothercrank shaft section, the end of which is shown, and one'hearing, Thisduplication may he macle at will.

in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, l havedescribed the principie of operation of my invention, together with theapparatus Which I now consider to representthe best; embodiment thereof;

'rality of cylinders, a su port therefor, a

pair of pistons for each'cy inder, connecting rods for the pistons, amain. crank shaft connected to the rodsancl divided into as manysect-ions as there are working cylinders, each shaft section comprisinga plurality of in tegrally formed cranks, a single journal, andintegrally .formed face plates at the ends which act as couplings, anda'bearing for each of saieljournuls.

2. in en engine, the combination of n plunnir of pistons for eachcylinder, connecting rods for the pistons, a main crank shaft connectedto the rods and rliviclel into as many sections as there are workingcylinders, each shaft section comprising a crank at one end, a journalat the other end, and two intermediate cranks, with face plates carriedby end formed integrally with the journal and the eml crank to serve ascouplings to unite the sections, thin disks between the face slates toaline the shaft sections with the cylinders, and. a bearing for each ofthe journals.

in witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day ofOctober. 1913.

I BERNHARD KRAMER. Vll'itnesses:

FRANZ O. GRANN, THEOPHIL LEVERENTZ.

ralityoi' cylinders, support therefor, ii

